Supplements into Cyprus?

[Viper6]

Anyone had any trouble getting supplements from bodybuilding.com into Cyprus?

I saw one post from 2006 that said you will get taxed since it is not coming from an EU country?

Any advice would be much appreciated.

[giannicolaou]

Anyone had any trouble getting supplements from bodybuilding.com into Cyprus?

I saw one post from 2006 that said you will get taxed since it is not coming from an EU country?

Any advice would be much appreciated.

Im from Cyprus as well and i've order couple of times from this site to Cyprus. Well for the taxes it depends how much your order will cost. Until $100 they wont charge you any tax but if your order is more than $100 then you have to pay 15% for taxes and also maybe they will charge you some extra money for the recognition of the pills to see if they are legal or not.
Try to stay under $100 and i think it will be ok with your order.

[Viper6]

Im from Cyprus as well and i've order couple of times from this site to Cyprus. Well for the taxes it depends how much your order will cost. Until $100 they wont charge you any tax but if your order is more than $100 then you have to pay 15% for taxes and also maybe they will charge you some extra money for the recognition of the pills to see if they are legal or not.
Try to stay under $100 and i think it will be ok with your order.

Hey guys

Just thought I would update this thread in case any one is looking for this sort of information in future. I ordered the following products using "DHL Global Post" (7-14 days shipping).

Animal Pak
VPX Zero Impact Bars (Box Of 12)
Gaspari Nutrition SuperPump250
Gaspari Nutrition SizeOn v2
Gaspari Nutrition MyoFusion

I didn't relaise that DHL did not offer tracking on this package until after I had ordered. Next time I will use the FedEx shipping option for sure, even though it is slightly more expensive.

I received a letter from my local post office here in Limassol 15 days after I placed the order with bb.com to come and collect the package. I went straight to the post office and they asked me to open the box up so that could inspect its contents. I did so, and then they advised that as these were supplements they needed to be inspected by the "Ministry of Health". Now the "Ministry of Health" only comes to this post office once a week (Wednesday afternoons), and it was Thursday morning when I went to pick up the package, therefore I was advised I had to wait until the next Wednesday until they came round again. Ridiculous! I argued with them for a long time saying it was nothing illegal - just vitamins, protein, chocolate, etc but didn't care. They also advised that I would need to pay the relevant VAT fees (5% for food supplements). After this I went to a local supplement store down the road from the post office, and discovered they had pretty much everything I had ordered (no Animal Pak and SizeOn was only v1, but they had all the other products). The prices were quite high when compared to bb.com, but seems very reasonable compared to other supplement stores/gyms on the Island, and the service was really good (bought a few protein bars from them and they gave me a free one, some magazines, etc). The local store I went to in Limassol was "S.T. Healthy Supplements" (I think they also have a store in Nicosia as well). Pretty nice people.

Anyway, I went back to the post office the following Wednesday and they released the package to me without any issues once I paid the 5% VAT (was around €9.42). I still came out way on top even after paying the VAT and shipping (saved €107 compared to if I had purchased locally).

So for future purchases, use the FedEx option (much quicker and also maybe a bit less likely to get stopped by Customs?), or check out some of the local stores like S.T. Healthy Supplements.

[Viper6]

Final update to this thread. I withdraw all my comments above about possibly using Fedex as a shipping option to Cyprus (DO NOT DO IT).

I ordered Animal Cuts and Controlled Labs REDuction on 9th July with shipping via Fedex (3-7 days). Online tracking just stopped working once the packaged reached Stansted, GB on 13th July (no further updates at all).

On 19th July my mother received a call from Fedex advising we had a package at Customs in Larnaca, however it would not be released until the relevant paperwork was provided and fees paid.

I called Fedex in Limassol (where the package was meant to be delivered) and they advised me to call Fedex in Larnaca (where my package is being held by Customs). When I called Larnaca they told me I needed to speak to Fedex in Nicosia (the capital of Cyprus).

The lady I was dealing with advised that as the package was coming from a non-EU country, it needed to be inspected by the Ministry of Health and I would have to pay a fee of around €55. They advised that if I did not do this the package would be destroyed (could NOT returned back to Bodybuilding.com).

In summary:

I was told by Fedex in Nicosia:

1) Not to use a courier service like Fedex or DHL to Cyprus next time (use "local post" only option and I would not be hit with those fees).
2) ALL supplement products coming from a non-EU country via courier need to be inspected by Ministry of Health and pay the fee. I asked if the product could be returned to sender and they advised this was not possible, it would be destroyed if I did not pay.
3) Tracking for Fedex stopped at STANSTED, GB on 13th July and only re-commenced once I had agree to pay the fees on 21st July (even though the package arrived in the country on 15th July, there was no tracking record of this).

Bodybuilding.com refused to refund any of the €53 fee I had to pay (€13 Fedex Clearing Services, €40 Εξόδα Φαρμακευτικών Υπηρεσιών). They still insist on offering Fedex as a shipping option to Cyprus even though it is 100% confirmed that all supplements shipped via Fedex to Cyprus will be held at Customs until exorbitant fees are paid. Even Fedex in Nicosia told me not to use them and to use the local post option.

With the local post option, your goods will be held and require inspection by Ministry of Health, but this is done for free (you only need to pay VAT which is a really small amount).

Hope this help someone else in future.

[iliaskarimi]

Hello guys I am facing the same problem now, unfortunately I didn't see your posts

[iliaskarimi]

Hello can you help me please, I have the same problem, I went to health ministry they told me
You need a health certificate from the government of the country of the sender , do you have any suggestion?